Hi, I have a 1986 bmw325 es. When I drive on the freeway or even in town my car sounds like a bi-plane, a loud roaring noise. A friend of mine suggested that it could be the tires. I took my car into a tire place yesterday and after riding with me, they think I need a new front hub asembly to replace the front wheel bearing. When I called a mechanic he said I should only put in a bmw part, not an after-market assembly. I called another mechanic and he said that bmw parts are made in Germany by not necessarily by BMW. In any case, to you think I should pay more for a bmw/German-made part instead of an after market part. The tire company was going to put in an Citrix assembly, whic his an after-market part. And could you give me a sense of how much that should be. Thank you very much, joiehill.

Rockauto.com has your bearing and hub assembly for $28, $91 for a Beck/Arnley or $125 for a Timken. Considering the labor to change it and the bad things that happen if they fail, I’d go with the Timken. BMW parts like bearings and such are not made by BMW, they are purchased from other suppliers but the dealer cost for this part is always marked way up. Aftermarket parts are copied by suppliers or sometimes direct from the original supplier.

I don’t know what the Citrix part costs, but I’d say no if it is less than $100.

If the bearings come from a German or American supplier, they might still be made in China. FAG bearings has plants in the US, Europe, South America and China, too. Same for Timken. Country or origin is not always a mark of quality.

ANY Bearing NOT MADE IN CHINA is what you are looking for. Ive owned 5 BMW’s and have had ZERO trouble with aftermarket bearings… The ONLY thing to watch out for is MADE IN CHINA… Made in CHINA means that someone found some Dog Poop and moulded it into something that looks like a car part and then sprayed it with a magic spray can to look n feel like a real metal replacement car part… USE ANY BEARING NOT NOT NOT MADE IN CHINA…and forget about the entire problem…you will be fine by avoiding anything from CHINA

I have a personal preference for Timken bearings. In industry Timken has always had a reputation for being the best bearings on the market, and I’ve never been disappointed. They cost more, but they’re worth it.